Diane Therrien, the mayor of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada lashed out at QAnon adherents who tried to conduct citizens arrests of police officers in the city before being arrested themselves.
The QAnon followers acted at the behest of Romana Didulo—the self-proclaimed "QAnon Queen of Canada"—who acquired a substantial following by claiming she is the rightful leader of a country at the mercy of a pedophilic global elite.
At least two QAnon adherents are facing charges of assaulting police and resisting arrest and mischief following the stunt, which drew the ire of Therrien, who said on Twitter she hates "giving airtime/spotlight to these imbeciles."
But Therrien went further, declaring,
"Here is my comment: f*ck off, you f*ckwads."
@DianeNTherrien/Twitter
Therrien later issued another tweet requesting those offended by her profanity call her cell phone number and talk to her directly rather than berate her staff.
\u201cTo the peeps who are mad about my tweet: don\u2019t call City Hall and be rude to staff. You\u2019re mad at me, not them. Call my cell and talk to me directly. 705-872-7905.\u201d— Diane Therrien (@Diane Therrien) 1660841962
Many came to Therrien's defense and criticized QAnon and anyone who believes the conspiracy theories associated with it.
\u201cJust spoke with Mayor Therrien.\nGetting calls from supporters saying thank you, no calls from the very brave fringers.\nGo figure!\n\nAgain @DianeNTherrien, thank you for voicing how so many of us feel with these whiners & twits\u2026\u2764\ufe0f\ud83d\udc4d\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\u201d— Ted Nesbitt (@Ted Nesbitt) 1660846546
\u201cWe need more politicians who aren't afraid to say what needs to be said.\u201d— JSR I Stand With Israel, Trudeau and Teachers (@JSR I Stand With Israel, Trudeau and Teachers) 1660843973
\u201cBe warned though, you're engaging with a boss in this adventure and you had better have your ducks in a row before calling or you'll be seriously outclassed and suffer a humiliating defeat at her hands (or mouth, as the case may be). We need more @DianeNTherrien and fewer idiots.\u201d— The Passionate Friar (aka Phelonius) (@The Passionate Friar (aka Phelonius)) 1660846285
\u201cWords cannot express how much I respect this woman.\u201d— Trudy Keil \u695a\u7dbe (@Trudy Keil \u695a\u7dbe) 1660846295
\u201cWhy are they mad though?\n\nShe was exercising her <chant>"\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6Freeeeeedooooom!\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6"</chant>\n\nUnless, of course - and this definitely cannot be the case \ud83d\ude44 - their movement was never about freedom. \ud83e\udd14\u201d— \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 Henry Garcia \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 Henry Garcia \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1660844007
\u201cKind of amusing how the free speech crowd is angered by a politician doing exactly that thing\u201d— Tim (@Tim) 1660845520
\u201cThe same people mad about her cussing likely have eff Trudeau stickers. Make it make sense.\u201d— Miss Informed (@Miss Informed) 1660846263
\u201cThis is the kind of *real* political leadership that we have been so sorely lacking of late.\u201d— Braden Keith (@Braden Keith) 1660846532
QAnon—whose believers allege the world is run by a Satan-worshipping, baby-eating global pedophile ring that conspired against former Republican President Donald Trump during his time in office—has been making waves across the Canadian border.
QAnon gained further notoriety in Canada earlier this year after, at least in part, inspiring the "Freedom Convoy"— a protest allegedly led by Canadian truckers who pushed back against COVID-19 public health measures.
The convoy—comprised of a minority of the country's truckers—retaliated after the United States and Canada agreed to COVID-19 vaccine requirements for truckers to re-enter the country by land. The protest was heavily scrutinized after organizers and groups were linked with White nationalist contingents, QAnon and other far-right groups in the United States.
In February, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau evoked the country's Emergencies Act for the first time since its passing in 1988, kicking off a large-scale operation that ultimately cleared the majority of protesters and dismantled much of the movement.